Modified automotive organic friction materials through infiltration of liquid carbon precursors

This research combines the liquid carbon precursor infiltration process for carbon/carbon composites with the fabrication procedure for organic, carbon-matrix friction materials in automotive. In the densification process, different liquid carbon precursors and numbers of densification cycle are adopted to investigate the influence on physical and mechanical properties, microstructure and tribological behavior. Experimental results indicate that the infiltration of liquid carbon precursors could improve the physical, mechanical properties and tribological performances of organic friction materials. The open porosity decreases with the number of densification cycle. Both bulk density and hardness increase with the number of densification cycle. The resin-based specimens show higher hardness and lower open porosity than those of the pitch-based specimens after each densification cycle. The tribological measurement of specimens with different carbon precursors shows that the pitch-based specimen shows lower and more stable friction coefficients and exhibits lower weight losses in comparison with other carbon precursors. Morphological observations show that a large area of smooth lubricative film was easily presented on the worn surfaces of the pitch-based specimens, whereas it was seldom observed on the worn surfaces of the preform specimen and resin-based specimens.